Latch for gates, etc.



Jan. 1, 1924- 1,479,268

w. s. WlTTEN mica FOR GATES, ETC

Filed: 0ct. 6, 1919 Patented Jan. 1, 1924.

riia zea l ,FEQ

WILLiAM s. wrrrnn, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

7 time non earns, ETC.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Wiimiiirar S. lViT'rnN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latches for G ates, Etc, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to 'the' accompanying drawings. r

My invention relates to locks and latches for swinging doors or gates, and has for its principal object to provide-a simple and inexpensive latch for swinging doors or gates which may be relied upon to operate successfully notwithstanding rough handling or exposure to the weather, and furthermore one which cannot readily be unlatched by animals so that it will be well adapted for use in Stockyards or on farm gates. As a further improvement on the underlying structure my invention contemplates the provision of means for locking the latch" in operative position so that it cannot be unlocked by unauthorizedpersons. V

The manner in which the several objects of my invention are accomplished will be readily understoodirom the following de' scription thereof in connect on with the ac j companying drawings,'wh1ch illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention.

WVhat I regard as new is set forth in the claims.

In the drawings;-

F ig.-1 is a partial side elevation showing the free end portion of a'swing'ing gate having my improved latch mechanism applied thereto, in connection with 'a gate post which is engaged by the latch'to hold the gate in a closed or in an open position,,'

as the case may be;

Fig. 2 IS a partial end operative position; v

Fig. 3 is a partial horizontal section on line 33 of Fig. 2; and r Fig. 4 is a partial vertical section on liii H of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, in which I V have shown my invention as embodied in a horizontally-swinging farm gate,11 indicates the gate, which, in the illustrated arrangement is supposed to swing horizontally. 12 indicates 'iny improved latch which is in the form of an inverted T, as

view of the free end of the gate, illustrating the latch" and the locking mechan sm tor, locking it in.

it comprises an upwardly-projecting shank,

13, a latch member or arm 1 1 whic'h'extends laterally from the shank 13in one direction, and a counterbalancing member or arm 15 which extends from the'lower end of the shank 13 in the opposite direction. The

upper end of the shank l3 is'connectedby a pivot 16 with a suitable support attached to the free end portion of thefgate, such support being preferably a pair of spaced wooden or metalplates' 17 between which therlatch is mounted so that it swings freely.

within a predetermined range. The latch also may be made either of woodor metal I as preferred. It will be observed that by.

this construction the latch forms substan tially a pendulum which under the action of the counterbalancing member 15 tends to swing to the left from the position shown in Fig. 1, as said counter-balancing member is made heavier than the latch member 14. To limit the movement of the latch in that direction a stop 18 is provided,

preferably in the form. of cross-bar connected with the side plates 17. The latch may, however, be swung in the. opposite ,direction to retract the latch member 14 out of 'operative position, and, I provide for this 7' purpose a cable 19, the lower end ofwhic'hfis connected with the counterbalanc ng' member 15, preferably by a ring 20. 21' inch cates a counterbalancing weight carried the cable 19 for holding theupper portion of the cable under some slight tension thereby taking up. any slack that may exist therein.

'As it is sometimes desirable to'lock the" latch 12 inoperative position one ofthe plates 17 is provided with a boss 22 having; 7 a recess 23 therein, in which is mounted a swinging lever or dog 2et'niounted by means formed at one side of the shank 13, as shown in Figs. 1' and 4,,thereby locking the latch 12 against swinging in either direction. Said lever is arranged to be operated-tolock or unlock the latch 12 by a rotating.

cylinder-27 mounted in a suitable bearing 28 fitted'in the boss 22, the cylinder 27 beine provided with an eccentrically disposed'pin 29 which bears against and operates the lever 24, as shownin Fig. 1. The cylinder 27 is 1 preferably a key operated cylinder of the engage a suitable keeper.

plate or pin tumbler type so that it may be rotated only by the insertion of the proper key. M p 7 7 In the construction shown in the drawings the latch member 14 is adapted to project beyond the free end of the gate" and to The particular kind of keeper used is not material except that it should be so constructed as to provide a bevel surface for engagement with the end of the latch member 14 as the gate is moved into latching position, and should be provided with a slot or recess to receive said latch member and hold the gate against swinging. By mounting the latch between side plates as described, said side plates serve to support it against twisting or lateral strains, and also prevent the latch from being forced sidewise out of engagement with the lock lever 24:, and protect said lock lever from being tampered with.

My improved latch is peculiarly suitable for use on farm gates or those used on the pens of stockyards asit maybe very cheaply constructed, but is nevertheless substan tiail and reliable. It operates with a minimum of friction; it operates automatically to latch a gate or door in any place around a circle concentric with the gate hinge; it

can be opened and closed from any angle or position; it may be used to hold the gate either open or closed; it cannot be opened by animals; it can be securely locked against operation by unauthorized persons; sag

ging of the gate does not prevent the latch from operating; audit operates with a min imum expenditure of energy since it swings like a pendulum and when released automatically moves to its locking position.

Theterm gate as used in the specification and claims is intended to comprehend not member, a cross bar connected with said side plates in position to engage said shank and limit the extent of projection oi said member, a rocking member pivoted to swing transversely of the path of said shank to engage the same and lock it in its operative position, and a key-operated device for actuating said rocking member.

2. A latch comprising side plates spaced apart, an inverted T-shaped member having its shank pivotally connected with said side plates and hanging p'endulous from its piv- 0t, said shank having a recess in one side thereof, and a locking device adapted tobe moved into said recess to lock said member in operative position. p

3. A latch comprising a suitable support, an inverted T-shaped member having its shank pivotally connected with said support and hanging pen'dulous from its pivot, a

rocking member pivoted to swing transversely of the path of said T-shaped member to engage the same and lock it in operative position, and a key operated device for actuating said rocking member.

4. A latch comprising a suitable support,

an inverted T-shaped member having its shank pivotally connected with said support and hanging'pendulous from its pivot, a rocking member pivoted between its ends to swing transversely of the path of said T- shaped member, one end portion of said rocking member being adapted to engage said T-shap'ed member to prevent swinging thereof, and a key operated device cooperating with the other end portion of said rocking member for massa n same.

5. A latch comprising a suitable'snp-port,

an inverted ,T-shaped member having its shank pivotally coimected with said support and hanging pendulous from its pivot, a

rocking .member movable into posi tio n to V lock said T-shap edmember in operative posi'tion, and a rotary lock cylinder for operating said rocking member. 2 i

6. A latch comprising a siiitab'Iesupport, an inverted T-sh'aped member having its shank "liiivotally connected with said sup port and hanging pendulous from its pivot, a rocking member pivoted between its ends. one end portion of said rocking member being adapted to engage said latch to prevent swinging thereof, and a rotary lock cylinder for actuating said rocking member.

WILLIAMS. WITTEN; 

